ivres, that is, not two hundred and fifty-nine pounds,
a-year.

Some envious courtiers endeavored to give the king a suspicion of his
being a spy. The saint heard this accusation just as he was going into
the pulpit; yet he preached as usual without the least concern; and that
prince was too well convinced of the calumny, by his sanctity and
candor. After a nine months' stay in Paris, he set out with the king's
letters,[3] and heard on the road, that Granier, bishop of Geneva, was
dead. He hastened to Sales-Castle, and as soon as clear of the first
visits, made a twenty days' retreat to prepare himself for his
consecration. He made a general confession, and {296} laid down a plan
of life, which he ever punctually observed. This was, never to wear any
silk or camlets, or any clothes but woollen, as before; to have no
paintings in his house but of devotions: no magnificence in furniture:
never to use coach or litter, but to make his visits on foot: his family
to consist of two priests, one for his chaplain, the other to take care
of his temporalities and servants: nothing but common meats to be served
to his table: to be always present at all feasts of devotion, kept in
any church in town: his regulation with respect to alms was incredible,
for his revenues: to go to the poor and sick in person: to rise every
day at four, make an hour's meditation, say lauds and prime, then
morning prayers with his family: to read the scripture till seven, then
say mass, which he did every day, afterwards to apply to affairs till
dinner, which being over, he allowed an hour for conversation; the rest
of the afternoon he allotted to business and prayer. After supper he
read a pious book to his family for an hour, then night prayers; after
which he said matins. He fasted all Fridays and Saturdays, and our
Lady's eves: be privately wore a hair shirt, and used the discipline,
but avoided all ostentatious austerities. But his exact regularity and
uniformity of life, with a continued practice of internal self-denials,
was the best mortification. He redoubled his fasts, austerities, and
prayers, as the time of his consecration drew nearer. This was performed
on the 3d of December, 1602. He immediately applied himself to preaching
and the other functions of his charge. He was exceedingly cautious in
conferring holy orders. He ordained but few, neither was it without the
strictest scrutiny passed upon all their qualifications for the
priesthood. H